Strangely enough, though, people don’t give much thought to scent in seduction beyond their use of perfume or cologne. Most don’t realize that in masking the body’s natural odors with fruity or musky sprays, they may actually be hurting their game. This is because one’s distinct personal odor is a major influence in whom we have sex with and how often. In seeking out someone for sexual seduction, your sense of smell overrides everything, even looks.
— From Forget Perfume, Embrace Your Natural Sexual Scent, advice from the FOXSexpert at FOX News.
I believe it. The scent of a memorably attractive former lover is unforgettable.
Oh i have heard this theory but then I have very poor olfactory sense, i can detect perfumes and bad body odours, but nothing more than that. But I guess I might have done it subconsciously, cos although I am not aware of smelling anything, I do feel the change in air (from skin) when I am with different people (even when I am not physically in contact with those people)…
Eh, yes and no on this one. Only because I think your natural scent is ever present, even when you're wearing perfume.
My husband and kids always smell pretty good to me, even when they don't – if you know what I mean!
And I have a friend who, no matter what perfume she's wearing, or if she's just gotten out of the shower, she just smells 'off' to me. I love her to death, it's just a chemical thing.
I agree with you, Rose. Chances are that readers of this blog are pretty attuned to smell, though, as compared to the general population.
Also, I tend to to not think of perfume in as utilitarian a way as the article suggests. To use perfume as a tool, so to speak, would take away a lot of the enjoyment of it.
Apart from 14yr olds does anyone really put on as much scent as the article seems to suggest?
As Rose mentioned the natural person smell doesn't vanish (sadly, sometimes). Whilst I love the natural scent of my H I don't stop fancying, or detecting, his smell if doused in nice fragrance.
I have a sound collection of perfume not hundreds but still.
And my friends have no idea!
They think I always smell of the same perfume.
How odd is this?
I don't believe that I buy the same perfume in different bottles.
But it is too painful to believe that me skin turns them in the same odor every time.
Heh, maybe one gravitates toward the same accord, because of innate preference. I like, osmanthus, bergamot, green chypre, like Cristalle, so everything I wear is picked out of the same spectrum. This broad spectrum may smell the same to people who are not tuned into the different bands of the spectrum. I don't really like heavy scent like Arabie, so I will never smell THAT different to my friends.
There are people whose natural scent is immediately, unchangeably, and eternally off-putting to me, no matter what they wear on top. The opposite is not true, I have not found a sigle person who's natural scent is immediately attractive. You could love the scent of your spouse, kid, dogs, but it's because of the person, not intrinsically the scent.
Quite true!
I always thought that the only thing that matters is charisma. And I will like almost everything on person I love. Just as I got used to L'eau par Kenzo on my boyfriend, though I hate Kenzo in general.
And what is also annoying – when someone close to you changes his signature scent. It takes weeks to get used to something again.
Sigh.
Rose, I do know exactly what you mean!
Bittergrass, I assume it is supposed to work subconsciously, but it's been awhile since I read the original studies this article is citing.
Yes, it does take all the enjoyment out of it for me, but still, I think that is how many people wear scent, right? As a tool?
Veronica, I'm guessing they just aren't paying attention.
Most people don't, but boy, those few offenders stand out!
Good point on the innate preference, maybe that is it.
My ex-boyfriend stank to high heaven! Well, it's just that his natural body smell was strong, and I never liked it! LOL. He never wore fragrance, but it would have been better if he had wore some, say, Christian Lacroix's Tumulte. I'm sure his natural smell would still have been there, though.
My current BF's natural smell is wonderful (he got Tumulte for xmas so he's smellin' extra good).
Memorably, unforgettable. *duh* Say what again? Someday I'll learn to write.
When perfume “works,” it works with natural scent.
my local laundry's dryers are so hot my clothing always smells like burnt cotton, dirty or otherwise. I wonder if men in Texas would find that appealing.
Also, how does one become a “sexologist”? Is there some sort of certification?
Okay, this is what I want to be when I grow up. A certified Sexologist. Brilliant career move.
Maybe that's why he is your ex
Hey, not just a sexologist, but a sexpert. That's even better.
There you go: life plan, solved.
I'm always, always, always attracted to people who wear (nice smelling) perfume or cologne. Please wear it around me, my lovelies. I shall swoon over you.
Although, I do have to say that I was absolutely addicted to my ex-fiance's 'busy smell'. He thought he smelled gross but I would climb all over him when he came home from work and changed into clean clothes. Nice skin smell, definitely.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I've never liked ANYONE's natural scent. Nobody – not boyfriends, girlfriends, parents, family, zilch. I'm attracted to nice smelling people – but by that I mean “clean, lightly perfumed” people! I don't mean to say that natural scent is “unclean,” because I get that a persons natural smell just means sans chemicals (no soap, hairspray, deodorant, etc.) This is making me realize how perfumed we all are…think of everything we put on that is fragranced…laundered clothing, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, etc. It's no wonder we can ever smell each other's natural scent at all. I do like the smell of my dog though. Her paws smell like fritos.
hmmm… this is just another volley from the anti-perfume-wearing brigade. it's more subtle than some, but still…
i'd like to see the sexperts talk about how to select the fragrances that work best with your chemistry. once you know what works on your skin, you can pretty much be assured that you will smell good to everyone around you. well, if you know how to apply it.
i 've found that even though i wear many different perfumes, the reactions to my scent are nearly always positive – when they're mixed or so-so it's usually because i'm not entirely convinced about the scent. but when i have on the right perfume for me, it totally works. it has to be you working the perfume, not the perfume working you.
as far as smelling each other's pheromones go, we can't smell them, but we're still getting the information they communicate – even with perfume. i know there are certain people i meet to whom i am instantly and inexplicably drawn, and others who repel me for no obvious reason. i believe there's a mix of pheromones and energetic signaling going on.
Please wear it around me too!
It is true…perfume is far from the only product we use to disguise natural scent.
Agree w/ “mix” of chemical signals, and not sure perfume covers it all up — many people seem able to pick the same person over & over again anyway, right?
I love the way my man smells – I'll happily bury my nose in his armpit and inhale deeply. Not sure if it's an instant thing, though, or more about the intimacy of being in a relationship, but I've always really enjoyed the personal, physical smell of my partners.
Smell has always been a huge factor in attraction, for me. The one thing that elicits an instant physical response. I mean skin smell, primarily, but also the associated scents of leather, aftershave, or whatever scent he favours; after a while, and a longer acqaintance, these become part of the overall headiness and skein of scent-associations. There is such a huge connection between scent and emotion – a scent associated with a partner brings a massive dose of nostalgia and melancholy for me…
Also, apparently a man's natural underarm scent, a 'clean' underarm scent, is apparently reassuring and pacifying for a woman and makes her more receptive to sex. I read that in a newspaper, so it must be true.